And the reverses
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Rick,
The "L" of the restriked cross seems to be very crude. Is it the only way to tell if it's a restrike (1930)? What do you think of my medals shown in my first pictures?
On the "war type" ones seems that details like swords and the crown are more precise and its shape more massive. But it is still hard to tell the difference...
Ciao,
ClaudioComment
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I don't know if the 1930s piece was just a flat crowned L cypher that the finish flaked away from, or if it once had a separate piece cypher on it that has fallen off. The weight in your hand and the general frosted/polished finish are just uncharacteristic of wartime ones like your MVK 1st Clases that are all matte finished. The swords on the later piece are also attached by a flat rivet.
There are so many varieties of the Crosses, and unlike the Orders, so few are MARKED, it is hard to say who made what. Look at all the variations in the way the "buckle" on the enemelled obverse disks is rendered on the Crosses, the way some obverse disks have curlicues with a dot in the middle of the main "S" shaped curls, sword hilts and grips....
but the only "funny looking" one I see is my 1930s replacement.
The only thing I can even come up with that MIGHT be "wrong" with yours is that in the scan of your MVK 1st Class with Crown and Swords it looks as if there MIGHT be "silver" showing through the pebbed arms around the obverse disk... compared to the coppery underlay showing through on the MVK1X next to it. I have never encountered an MVK 1st Class that was NOT on that copper base metal-- but then I've handled less than half a dozen of this rare class, and NONE, ever, with crown.
Oddly enough, I've never encountered a copper-based MVK SECOND Class, they are either a white metal, or what may be a silver content below sterling like the ones that have darkened like silver tarnish. The lighter ones seem to have had a surface finish, while the now dark ones seem to have been just in their natural metal. The "light colored" MVK 2s also seem to be larger than the "dark silver" ones, like the ones shown in Tom's "Does Size Matter?" thread.Comment
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MVK 2. Klasse mit Krone
just got this today from Detlev. It looks even better in my hands. Great patina; I can deduce that it is a pre-war silver piece "am Friendensband" (peace-time ribbon), although there is no silver mark. Am I right in my assumption? Furthermore I would like to know from the "alten Hasen" (experienced collectors) how you could differentiate metals in general, if there are some rules to follow or tests to make in order to prove of what material the medal is made.
Thank you in advance for your kind comments.
Ciao,
ClaudioLast edited by Klaus O.; 10-14-2002, 11:25 AM.Comment
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Excellent piece and very rare! The easiest way I know to tell silver is by TASTE-- the same as if it was a spoon or a fork. It should be cool and tasteless. I suspect these are HEAVILY silver plated, like the early Hungarian WWI Commemorative Medals and LOOK silver, but are actually a base metal.Comment
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Rick,
Are you suggesting that I should chew my MVK? :-)) Ok, you already convinced me that this cross is very likely a very heavily plated silver piece...
Thank you for your tip!
Ciao,
ClaudioComment
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But not in public!
(Just remember this at shows, though!) 
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Hey Claudio!
That Second Class, no swords is the nicest one I've seen in years! Is the ribbon real, or replacement. Rare, Rare, Rare!Comment
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MVK3X marked..
This is a cased Deschler MVK3X
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The detail of the back
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Hi, Claudio, derittmeister has a MVO 4 without swords or crown, on what appears ro be an original ribbon for sale on his site. check it outComment
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Paul,
Thanks for pointing that out. As a matter of fact I already have seen that medal, which is being offered by Rittermeister since a long time. The price is a bit high for my taste. Besides that I already have a MVO 4. ohne Schwerter cased in mint conditions. However I am looking for a real peace-time ribbon (blue-white).
Ciao,
ClaudioComment
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As with many..........
................ cased BMVO4, ohne Schwertern, provided courtesy of stogieman.....................................
All kidding aside, it really thrills me when something I owned ends up in the hands of another who loves the stuff as much as I do. I know a few collectors out there, one Father & Son come to mind in particular. they buy on a very limited budget, absolutely love every piece they've ever found, whether $1, or $10, or $100. It's that thrill of the hunt, the smooth feeling of success and the joy of doing what you like that we never seem to touch on enough. It's a hobby, with maybe some lifestyle issues clouding the path, but it's supposed to be fun.<br>
So, call me stinky-zinky, call me zink-boy, call me anything you want. While my current voyage to the dark realms of WW2 badges might make some of you shudder a bit, I'm having a blast and learning new things every day.<br>
I think my next mercenary expedition might be after some of Claudio's Bavarian pieces though!
Nice stuff Claudio. AND, I respect them and you even more for your love of what you do!
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No problem stogie, I have some zinky-stinky-sticky-pinky-pins from WWII too.
I'll start a second thread with pics of my bavarian MVKs in a few days.Comment
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Hmm... I sense a Scientific Study emerging here:
MOST of the MVKs are unmarked. Yet the cases ARE marked. If we can build up enough "data base" that the cased pieces are indeed correct to the cases they are in, then--
details like suspensions, which way the sword grips' lines go, sword hilts designs, the type of curlicues ("spaghetti S" or "tapering interrupted dot") on obverse disks, shapes and sizes of cyphers, etc etc CAN make a Definitive Catalog of Who Made What.
How about NEW threads, started with maker marked cased pieces, to compare what each maker's MVKs looked like, a thread for each maker? Keep each new thread ONLY to a specific maker's type. ???Comment
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